Automatic coal sampler



iwalicch N57 1 5 33303, P REUTER 2,33,549

AUTOMATI C COAL SAMPLER Filed June 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.@d 5. 22/2 27 (9 ATTORNEY March W, 193% w. P. REUTER AUTOMATI C COALSAMPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1955 d ATTORNEY Patented Mar.10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE AUTOMATIC COAL SAll/[ELERApplication June 21, 1935, Serial No. 27,781

9 Claims.

This invention relates to coal handling machinery and has specialreference to a coal sampling device for use in connection with conveyormechanisms,

During recent years the competition between the coal mines and naturalgas companies has forced the coal operators to establish coalpreparation plants whereby they could prepare coal with a minimum of ashcontent for their commercial trade. To obtain the correct analysis onash content of coal in each car loaded it has been necessary for thecoal companies to establish laboratories for making this analysis. Byfollowing out this procedure the coal companies have a record of the ashcontent of coal in each car shipped.

Samples of the coal being loaded into the car must be taken at regularintervals while the car is being loaded. To take these samples it hasbeen necessary, in the past, to obtain the samples with the human hand,and it was done by passing a shovel or vessel of some kind through thestream of coal being discharged from a loading boom or conveyor into thecar. It was left to the party who was taking the sample when and how thesample was to be taken. It was almost impossible to obtain an accuratesample in this way, because part of the sample would roll 01f the shovelbefore it had traversed the full width of the coal stream.

There are also some large purchasers of coal who want to know just whatkind of coal they are buying. These firms have also establishedlaboratories for determining the correct analysis of the coal they areburning, and they also: must have accurate samples taken.

With the foregoing in mind, one important object of the invention is toprovide a novelautomatic mechanism, operable at regular intervals, fortaking coal samples from a moving stream of coal on a conveyor.

A second important object of the invention is to so arrange theaforesaid novel mechanism that it will take samples extending the fullwidth of the stream.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter especially adapted for use in connection with sectional apronconveyors.

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide a device ofthis character part of which is so arranged that it may be substitutedfor any section of the apron of such a conveyor whereby the samples maybe taken at such spacing along .the conveyor as is found desirable.

A fifth important object of the invention is to provide a novel deviceof this character having a'sampling gate and a gate opening cam whereinthe cam may be readily removed for rendering thesampling gate inactiveif it is desired that the conveyor operate without samples being en.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists ingeneral of certain novel details of construction and combinations ofparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of an apron conveyor showing thepresent invention applied thereto, certain parts being omitted.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with the main conveyor in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in section on the line 3-3 of Figure2.

Figure 4 is a detail section on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 1.

The invention, as disclosed in the drawings is illustrated as applied toa standard form of apron conveyor wherein the apron is made up of aseries of like sections. It is, however, to be understood that theinvention is not necessarily linked in application to an apron conveyorof the construction shown but may be applied to any suitable form ofconveyor. The description to follow is not, therefore, to be confined tothe exact form shown but is limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims.

As shown there is illustrated rails It! carried on angle-irons ll. Onthese rails run Wheels l2 mounted on shafts l3 which connect the wheelsin pairs. These shafts are connected at each wheel by links I4. Eachapron section consists of a plate extending between the links at theopposite sides of the conveyor. Each of these plates has a flat portionl5 one edge of which is bent upwardly and then downwardly as at it toform a downwardly opening trough or channel to hook over a shaft l3while its other edge is bent downwardly as at ill to rest on the part itof the next apron section, this construction being well shown in Figure2. This construction thus forms a pair of endless chains supporting aseries of plates forming an apron on which the coal rests while beingconveyed. Obviously, with this form of apron there is provided, for thelower run of the conveyor, guides or supports it :5

for the apron sections to keep them from becoming disengaged from theshafts l3.

Positioned at a place in the length of the conveyor which is convenientfor the operatives is a hopper l9 having a trough 20 in its bottom,which trough extends transversely of the conveyor and projects beyondone end of the hopper l9. This hopper I9 is located between the upperand lower runs of the conveyor carrying the mass of coal and which, fordistinction, may be termed the main conveyor. At each end of the trough20 there is supported a pair of bearings supporting shafts 2 l One ofthese shafts is fitted with suitable driving means here indicated by thebelt pulley 22. On the shafts 2| are fixed sprockets 23 which arecentral of the width of the trough l9 and carry .a chain 24 equippedwith scraper flights 25 for moving material in the trough. The extremityof the projecting portion of this trough has an inclined floor 26forming, with the sides, a delivery spout for delivering samples to afunnel 21 so that they may be received in a bag 28 or other suitablereceptacle.

The sample taking means, with this form of main conveyor consists of anapron section 29 having, like all other sections, a trough edge 30 and acurved edge 3|. This section replaces any desired section of theconveyor and is provided with a slot 32 at the forward edge of which areformed notches 33 in which are welded alined bearings 34. A gate 35 isprovided to close the slot and at one edge of the gate are notches 36 toreceive the bearings 34. A hinge rod 34' passes through the bearings 34and is welded to the notched edge of the gate 35. Removably bolted tothe plate 29 is a bracket 38 and fixed on the upper side of the adjacentend portion of the gate 35 is a bracket 39. A coiled torsion spring 40surrounds a projecting end of the rod 34' and has bent ends 4| engagingrespectively in the brackets 38 and 39. The spring is so coiled as tohold the gate normally closed against the action of the Weight of thecoal when coal is under conveyance. In order to prevent the gate frommoving too far under the influence of the spring, the free edge of thegate is provided with stop lugs 42 which engage the under side of theplate 29 when the gate is closed.

An arm 43 is fixed to the gate at its other end and close to the hingerod 34'. This arm projects upwardly from the gate and is provided at itsupper end with a fork 44 wherein is journalled a roller 45.

Fixed to a frame member 46 of the conveyor structure is a pair of spacedrods 41. A cam-bar or trip-bar 48 has fixed thereon a pair of sleeves 49spaced to receive the rods 41 and these sleeves are provided withset-screws 50 for engaging the rods and thus holding the sleeves inplace. It is to be noticed that the gate preferably extends entirelyacross that part of the apron which supports the coal and that thetrip-bar is located over the hopper.

In operation the conveyor moves in the direction shown by the arrow inFigure 2 and as it thus moves the roller engages the trip bar 48 andcauses the gate 35 to open against the action of its spring 40. Thisdelivers a definite amount of coal to the hopper I9 as .a sample. Thesample conveyor carries the samples along the trough 2D and deliversthem to the spout from whence they fiow through the funnel 2'! into thebag 28.

Obviously, the gate and the opening closed thereby may be made of anydesired width to deliver a certain proportion of the coal supported onthe apron section wherein such gate is located and, since all apronsections are alike, the gate may be proportioned to deliver a desiredpercentage of the coal passing over the conveyor. Also, two or moregates may be arranged along the conveyor to effect a more frequentsampling of the coal under conveyance.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction ofthe invention without departing from the material principles involved.It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact formherein shown and described but it is desired to include all forms whichcome within the scope of the appended claims.

There has thus been provided a simple and efiicient device of the kinddescribed and for the purpose specified.

What is claimed, is:

1. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, and stationarymeans adjacent the path of the trip arm engagable by the trip arm toopen the gate.

2. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, and astationary trip bar extending along the conveyor in the path of saidtrip arm and engageable with said trip arm.

3. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, a pair ofspaced rods fixed adjacent said conveyor, a normally fixed trip barprovided with a pair of sleeves slidable on said rods into and out ofthe path of the trip arm, and set screws carried by said sleeves andengaging said rods to hold the trip bar in adjusted position.

4. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, stationarymeans adjacent the path of the trip arm errgageable by the trip arm toopen the gate, and a second traveling conveyor extending transversely ofthe path of the first conveyor and receiving material from the gateopening.

5. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, a fixed tripbar extending along the conveyor in the path of said trip arm, and asecond traveling conveyor extending transversely of the path of thefirst conveyor and receiving material from the gate openmg.

6. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, a pair ofspaced rods fixed adjacent said conveyor, a normally fixed trip barprovidedwith a pair of sleeves slidable on said rods into and out of thepath of the trip arm, set screws carried by said sleeves and engagingsaid rods to hold the trip-bar in adjusted position, and a secondtraveling conveyor extending transversely of the path of the firstconveyor and receiving material from the gate opening.

'7. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, stationarymeans adjacent the path of the trip arm engageable by the trip arm toopen the gate, a hopper below the point at which the gate opens, atrough extending transversely of the first conveyor and having a portionforming the bottom of said hopper, said trough projecting beyond thehopper and terminating in a spout, a second traveling conveyor in saidtrough, and a funnel beneath said spout.

8. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed,

a trip arm carried by the gate, a fixed trip bar extending along theconveyor in the path of said trip arm, a hopper below the point at whichthe gate opens, a trough extending transversely of the first conveyorand having a portion forming the bottom of said hopper, said troughprojecting beyond the hopper and terminating in a spout, a secondtraveling conveyor in said trough, and a funnel beneath said spout.

9. The combination with a traveling conveyor having a gate openingtherein extending transversely of the conveyor, a gate normally closingsaid opening and forming a section of the conveyor, a spring normallyholding the gate closed, a trip arm carried by the gate, a pair ofspaced rods fixed adjacent said conveyor, a normally fixed trip barprovided with a pair of sleeves slidable on said rods into and out ofthe path of the trip arm, set screws carried by said sleeves andengaging said rods to hold the trip-bar in adjusted position, a hopperbelow the point at which the gate opens, a trough extending transverselyof the first conveyor and having a portion forming the bottom of saidhopper, said trough projecting beyond the hopper and terminating in aspout, and a second traveling conveyor in said trough, and a funnelbeneath said spout.

WILLIAM P. REUTER.

